REVSYS Collaborative Research: Untangling the Passionflower Vines: Phylogeny, Species Diversification, and Character Evolution in Passiflora Ssubg. Decaloba (Passifloraceae)

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Passiflora represents a diverse group of more than 560 species of vines and trees primarily found in Central and South America. These plants are best known as the source of tropical passionfruit, but are also widely cultivated for their beautiful, complex flowers. Passionflowers appear to be a recently-evolved lineage that has experienced rapid species diversification. Many species are poorly understood with regard to morphology, geographical distribution, and conservation status, especially in the largest lineage of passionflowers, subgenus Decaloba, with 235+ species. This study will synthesize modern and traditional approaches to address these problems, using DNA sequence data, scanning electron microscopy, and observation of fresh and preserved specimens. Field work will enable collection of fresh material and documentation of species distributions. This project will yield a revision of all species in Decaloba, and will provide a modern evolutionary framework within which to address questions about the evolution of floral shape, pollination syndromes, floral development, and the biogeographical history of the lineage. This study will address important biological and evolutionary questions in an especially charismatic group of plants. Undergraduate and graduate students will participate in the research. Undergraduates at Keene State College and Harris-Stowe State University, institutions that primarily enroll underrepresented groups in the sciences, will especially benefit from involvement in this study. Summer workshops at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden will involve students from the local community. Field expeditions will build international collaborations among U.S. scientists and colleagues in Mexico, Central America, and South America. All results of this project will be available through a website hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden.